Power operated regulating mechanism



March 23, 1965 J. sTr-:LZER 3,174,742

POWER DPERATED REGULATING MECHANISM Filed April 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 March 23, 1965 J, STELZER 3,174,742

POWER OPERTED REGULATING MECHANISM Filed April 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 United States Patent Ollice 3,l7,742 Patented Mar. 23, 1965 3,174,742 POWER PERATED REGULATRQG WCTISM .lalrob Stelzer, Raunheim (Main), Germany, assigner to H. T. Golde Sandali. d: tio., KG., Frankfurt am Main, Germany Filed Apr. 5, 1963, Ser. No. 270,833 S Claims. (Cl. 268-12@ This invention relates to power operated window regulating mechanism and more particularly to a novel drive mechanism for opening and closing sliding windows in, for example, motor cars and the like vehicles.

This is a continuation-impart of applicants copending application Serial No. 836,551, filed August 27, 1959, for window regulating mechanism, now abandoned.

ln low built modern motor cars With vertically and/or longitudinally curved walls and door panels the space between the outer and the inner panels is restricted especially with the sliding window pane lowered. Therefore, serious difficulties are encountered in providing window regulating mechanisms which can be installed in said space without interfering with the path of the sliding window pane, the more as in the case of a vertically curved Window pane its correspondingly curved sliding path may involve additional restrictions.

According to a heretofore known construction a threaded ilexible cable connected to the lower edge of a sliding window pane and axially movable in a tubular guide is in threaded engagement with the hollow shaft of an electric motor for lowering and raising this pane by respective rotation ot the motor shaft. The motor accordingly must extend radially with regard to the flexible cable. If sutlicient space to position the motor below the window path is not available, it may be possible to iind a suitable place for the motor in greater distance of the window path which, of course, requires a considerably greater length ot the flexible cable and its tubular guide, resulting in increased friction when the cable is moving to operate the sliding pane.

It is an object of this invention to provide a regulating mechanism for sliding windows in motor cars and the like with a cable in a tubular guide wherein rotating means, for instance an electric motor, for actuating said cable may be located at any place distant from the window path without necessitating a greater length of tubular guide, thereby minimizing friction losses.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a power operated regulating mechanism of the aforementioned type wherein an inexpensive commercial electric motor, for instance of the type conventionally used for operating windshield wipers, may be used for actuating the exible cable.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a regulating mechanism for sliding windows in motor cars which may be installed in any type or vehicle after its completion by the manufacturer and regardless ofthe space available.

It is also an obiect of the invention to provide a window regulating mechanism of a simple and inexpensive construction, whioh can be installed with a minimum of work.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a novel tubular guide by which operating noises and wear are minimized.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the detailed description and other matter in the specification following below.

For better understanding of lthe invention reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described some preferred embodiments ofthe invention.

In the drawings:

FIG. l is a schematic front elevation of a first embodiment of a window regulating mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a section taken on line II-ll of FIG. 1

FlG. 3 is a schematic side View illustrating the arrangement of a second embodiment of a window regulating mechanism constructed in accordance with the invention as built into an automobile door;

FG. 4 is a section taken on line IV-IV of FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a section similar to the section shown in FIG. 3 illustrating the mechanism according to the second embodiment as built into an automobile door with a curved window pane;

FlG. 5 is a section taken on line VI-Vl of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 shows a detail of the regulating mechanism according to FIG. 3 on an enlarged scale;

FIG. S is a section on line VH1- VIH of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 shows a detail as viewed in the direction of arrows lX-EX of FIG. 7; and

FIG. l) is a schematic view similar to that of FIG. 3 showing still another embodiment of the regulating mechanism according to the invention as built into an automobile door.

Referring to the drawings and in particular to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a flat window pane 7 positioned for up and down movement relative to and within a pair of guide channels S as conventionally mounted in an opening of a car door. A channel-shaped mounting 6 connected to a supporting angle 5 as illustrated in FIGS. l and 2 is designed to support the window pane '7 at about the center of its bottom edge for vertical movement. A tubular guide 2 is positioned in a plane parallel and of'rset relative to the path of movement of window pane 7. The guide 2 is adapted to be fixed to the inner panel of an automobile door, for example in a manner explained below in connection with FIGS. 3 and 4, and is provided with a vertical slot 3 which extends at least the length of travel of the window pane 7.

The supporting angle S is provided and rigid with a bracket d extending into the slot 3 for connection with a flexible cable l which extends below the end of guide 2 into a gear housing 9 and a curved guide extension 2a. The ilexible cable is rigid to axial forces and guided parallel to the sliding path of window pane '7 Within guide 2 which tits closely around its periphery. Furthermore, the cable is constructed of helical strands which may engage a pinion in a manner similar to a rack or it may be provided with a specially threaded profile for that purpose.

The gear housing 9 connects the tubular guides 2 and 2a by means of a pair of threaded nuts 14 which align the guide 2 with the gear housing and a portion of the guide 2a. While one extreme end of the flexible cable l is secured to the bracket d for movement thereof, the other end is allowed to move loosely within the guide 2a where it may be conveniently kept out of contact with other mechanisms in the automobile door. A pinion gear lo mounted within the housing 9 positively engages the exible cable 1 within the housing and also meshes with a second iiexible cable 1l similar to the flexible cable l. One end portion lla of the eXible cable 1l is journalled in a bearing l5 fixed to the housing 9 while the opposite end is connected to the shaft of a reversible electric motor l2 through a resilient coupling 13.

It is to be noted that pinion l0 meshes tangentially with both cables l and 11 and that in operation with pinion ttl rotating cable ll is also rotating while cable l is shifted axially because rotation thereof is preventedby the bracket 4, which is fixed to the cable 1 and guided by the slot 3 of the guide Z. The motor may be carried by the housing 9 by means of suitable brackets i6 fixed to the motor and to the housing. The position of motor l?. is not critical but may be chosen in accordance with the space available, because the torque of motor 12 is always positively transmitted to the pinion by the second cable 11.

The speed of motor 12 is'substantially reduced by the worm 11 which may be driven in either direction depending upon the control of the motor 12. Thus, advantageously relative slow rotary motion of the pinion 1i) within ythe housing 9 and translatory longitudinal m0- tion of the exible cable 1 within the tubular guides 2 and 2a and the housing 9 is accomplished even with a small high speed motor of the type conventionally used for operating windshield Wipers. is secured to the upper end of the cable 1 moves the The bracket 4 which Y Window 7 vertically in conformity with arrow A within the guide channels 8. The tubular guides 2 and 2a may have any shape adaptable with the space available there-A for and as permitted by the exibility of the cable l, since only the slottedy portion of guide 2 rnust be parallel to the window path.

In the drawings, the entire cable 1 has a wormlike outer surface. It will be realized, however, that an ordinary cable with a smooth surface may be employed, provided that a wormlike portion is interpositioned in the region where the pinion 10 engages the cable. The same applies to cable 11 whereof only that portion engaging the pinion must be provided with gear engagement means.

In the second embodiment shown in FIGS. 3 to 9, wherein similar parts are provided with the same reference numerals as in FIGS. 1 and 2, an automobile door is shown as viewed from outside having an outer panel 20, a generally triangular windowV 22 and a sliding Window pane 7 positioned for up and down movement relative to and within a pair of guide channels 8.

A mounting 6 supporting pane 7 is rigidly connected to a supporting angle Sconnected to a bracket 4 which bracket in turn is rigidly xed to the upper end of a rst length 28 of a exible cable having a worm-like profile and being guided in a longitudinally slotted tubular guide 26. Guide 26 extends through a housing 30 wherein a pinion 34 is rotatably mounted and tangentially engaged by the cable'ZS. Pinion 34 is further tangentially engaged by a second length 40 of llexible cable similar to the first length 28. Cable is journalled in the housing 30 and connected for rotation to the shaft of an electric motor 42. Motor 42 is rigidly mounted to the inner panel 44 of the automobile door in a position spaced from cable 28 and housing 39, which latter is also fixed to the panel 44 (see FIG. 4). A tube 46 of flexible malterial, for instance plastic, is connected to thefbottom end of guide 26 for receiving and protecting the free end of the axially moving cable 28 when the pane 7 is lowered.

As shown in greater detail in FIGS. 7 and 8, housing 30 comprises a rear part 31 and a front part 32 rigidly connected together and to the inner door panel 44 by suitable fasteners, for instance screw means 36. The rear and the front part are shaped to provide passages for the respective portions of cables 2S and 401 adjacent the pinion 34. Integral boses 35 of pinion 34 are rotatably received in aligned circular bores in the rear and` front parts 31 and 32 of housing 30.

One end 41 of cable length 4t? is journalled in a bearing48 xed to the housing 3i). The opposite end 47- is re'siliently coupled to a bushing 49'by means of a block 50 of elastic material, for instance synthetic rubber. A suitably profiled shaft end Y51 of the shaft of motor 42 is received in an inner bore of bushing .49 which bore is profiled to prevent relative rotation between shaft end 51 and bushing 49. Accordingly, withthe motor shaft rotating shaft end 51 will cause rotation of cable length 40 via the bushing 49 and the resilient coupling 50 vulcanized torcable end 47. Rotation of cable length 40 will cause rotation of pinion 34 and rotation of pinion 34 will cause axial movement of cable length 28 within the tubular guide 26, whereby rotation of cable length 2S is prevented by the rigid connection between the cable 28 Vand the bracket 4, which latter is guided in the longitudinal slot 27 (FIG. 6) of guide 26.

As shown in FIG. 6, the vlongitudinal edges 29 detining the slot 27, which slot extends over the whole length of guide 26, are rounded, thereby minimizing friction and wear when the bracket 4 is travelling in the slot and also avoiding noises which might occur with a roughly cut Slot.

To obtain the desired shape of slot with rounded edges, guide 26 is made from sheet metal strip with rounded longitudinal edges by bending such strip to obtain the desired circular cross section with a longitudinal gap providing the guiding slot 27.

The tubular guide 26 is longitudinally shaped in accordance with and parallel to the sliding path of the Window pane '7 and is rigidly fixed near its upper end to the inner door panel 44 by a suitablebracket 52, while its lower end portion is clamped between the rear and front parts 31 and 32 of the housing 30, As shown in FIG. 7, a recess 26a, provided in guide 26, enables the teeth of pinion VVT34 to engage the Worm-like profile 28a of cable 28.

For better understanding the device according to FIG. 7 is shown on an enlarged scale, as compared with its actual dimensions when built into a motor car. It should be noted, however, that excellent results have been obtained with a diameter of pinion 34 in the range of 25 mm. and with anV axial dimension of pinion 34 together with its bosses 3S, i.e. with an overall height of housing 30 taken in a direction vertical to the inner door panel 44, in the range of 16 mm. while the outer diameter of the tubular guide 26 may be 6 mm. or less. Therefore, the space necessary for positioning the guide 26 parallel to the path of the window pane and for mounting the housing 30 adjacent the lower end of said path is reduced to a minimum, while the motor 42 may be arranged and xed to the inner door panel 44 at any desired position spaced from housing 30 and from the guided cable length 26, according -to the space available. The second cable length 40 may be curved and of suitable length Vfor transmitting the rotary driving force from fthe motor 42 to the pinion 34.

It will be appreciated that in an operating device for a sliding window according to the invention the housing 30 can be mounted in any desired angular position adjacent the lower end of the path of the sliding window.

' Because of the minimum of space required by the housing in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the inner door panel 44, there will always be sutliicient room to position the lia-t housing near the lower end of window travel, thereby minimizing the overall length of tubular guide 26 wherein friction losses may occur when cable 28 is shifted axially.' The position of motor 42 on the other hand may be chosen according to the space available in any type of car, whereby a possible greater length of the second cable 40 will not cause increase ot friction since no guide is required for this second cable.

However, the second cable, which transmits the motor torque to the pinion 34 in the manner of a flexible shaft on the one hand and in the manner of a Worm on the other hand, may be supported from theV door panel 44 at one point or the other of its length by conventional means, for instance bifurcated brackets or the like, by tubular pieces of comparatively wide cross section, if desired. n

Though the motor 42 may be a commercial small electric motor as commonly used for operating windshield wipers or the like, it is of special advantage to have the electric motor 42 constructed with a flat rectangular cross section, as may be seen from FIG. 9. Here motor 42 is shown xed by brackets v54to the inner door panel In FIGS. 4 and 5 the Varrangement of the regulator mechanism for a sliding window according to FIG. 3 between the inner and the outer door panel 44 and 20, respectively, is shown to require a minimum of space below the path of window travel; FIG. 4 showing the arrangement and shape of a tubular guide for a. plane window and FIG. 5 for a longitudinally curved window, respectively. Though in both ligures the position of motor 42 is shown to be the same, it will be appreciated that the motor 42 may be mounted in a different position according to the space available, because the second cable length 4@ acting as a tiexible shaft renders the position of the motor 4Z :independent on the position of the housing 36. Therefore, the housing may be arranged near the lower end of the window path as desirable to reduce friction losses, while the motor may take any desired position.

The embodiment according to FG. l0 differs from the embodiment according to FlG. 3 by the position of housing 60 and motor 62. As will be seen from the drawing, the housing 60 is positioned below and adjacent the lower end of the path of the sliding window, while the electric motor 62 is positioned in a greater distance and actual ly in the region below the .triangular window 22, i.e. spaced from that part ot the automobile door in which the sliding window pane '7 is moving. This arrangement is especially advantageous in curved automobile doors with little space between the inner door panel and the window path. With such an arrangement the installation of a power operated window regulator will be possible even in a car door where most unfavorable conditions are encountered.

From the foregoing it is made clear, that in the sim plest embodiment the power operated window regulating mechanism according to this invention may comprise a pinion meshing with two pieces of cable consisting of one or several coiled strands, one piece of cable being axially movable for operating the window, the other being connected to a motor and being mounted for rotation. It will be understood that this device is very inexpensive to manufacture and needs very little space for accommodation. It has the added advantage that the motor may be mounted at any desired place and independent on the position of the pinion.

While speciic embodiments of the invention have been shown and described in detail to illustrate the application of the invention principles, it will be understood that the invention may be embodied otherwise without departing from such principles.

What is claimed is:

l. A power operated regulating mechanism for selectively raising land lowering a sliding vehicle window, comprising, in combination, a fiat housing secured to the vehicle substantially below said window, a planar pinion rotatably mounted in said housing, a iirst and a second length of substantially identical threaded flexible cable meshing with said pinion in respective angularly spaced positions but substantially within the plane of said pinion, means for axially guiding said tirst length of cable through said housing, means for rotatably mounting said second length of cable at one end portion within said housing, means for securing said tirst length of cable to the lower edge of said window, tubular guide means secured to said vehicle for guiding said tirst length of cable Within said housing and also between the latter and said window along a path substantially parallel to the sliding path of said window, a reversible electric motor mounted on said vehicle in a position spaced from said housing, and means for operatively connecting said motor to the other end portion of said second length of cable for rotation thereof, whereby said pinion will be rotated upon rotation of said second length of cable, thereby causing axial movement of said iirst length of cable and movement of said window along said sliding path.

2. A regulating mechanism according to claim l, wherein said housing has respective first and second passages therein for said iirst and second lengths of cable, said tirst passage constituting said guiding means and forming part of said tubular guide means, said second length of cable constituting the driving element and said first length of cable the driven element with respect to said pinion during the raising and respective lowering of said window upon energization of said motor.

3. A regulating mechanism according to claim l, wherein said connecting means includes a coupling between a driving shaft of `said motor and said second length of cable in the yform of a block of elastic material fixed to said one end of the second length of cable, a bushing secured to said block and having a bore to receive the free end of said motor shaft, and means for preventing relative rotational movement -between said bushing and said motor shaft end.

4. A regulating mechanism according to claim 1, wherein said tubular guide means is longitudinally slotted, and said securing means includes a bracket between said first length of the cable and said lower window edge, and protruding through the slot of said tubular guide means, said bracket setting apart said path of the first length of cable from said sliding path of the window.

5. A power operated regulating mechanism for raising by positive pushing action and alternately for lowering by opposite action a sliding vehicle window, comprising, in combination, a housing secured to the vehicle substantially below said window, a first ftexible cable connected at its upper end to said window and having at an intermediate portion a worm-like protile providing first gear engagement means, an upper sleeve above said housing and a substantially aligned lower sleeve below said housing, for axially guiding the respective upper and lower end portions of said first cable in the window sliding direction, a passage through said housing for said iirst cable substantially aligned and coextensive with said sleeves so as to provide continuous axial guidance for said intermediate and said end portions of the first cable, a planar gear ro tatably secured within said housing and having a single circumferential row of teeth, a reversible electric mot-or spaced apart from said housing, said rst cable and said sleeves7 a second iiexible cable substantially identical with said first flexible cable, being connected at one end to the shaft of said motor and having at least at an intermediate portion a worm-like prolile providing second gear engage ment means substantially identical with said rst gear engagernent means, said gear being intermediate and substantially coplanar with said first and said second cables, said row of teeth being simultaneously and tangentially engaged by said iirst and said second gear engagement means, :the latter being angularly spaced apart along said row of teeth, said second cable extending from said motor into Isaid housing to act as driving means with respect to said gear while said first cable acts as driven means, and means for rotatably supporting said second cable within said housing.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,919,911 l/60 Furtah 26S-124 2,949,039 8/60 Dudchik 268-124 X 3,062,528 1 1/ 62 Martens 26S- 124 FOREIGN PATENTS 530,047 9/56 Canada.

HARRISON R. MOSELEY, Primary Examiner. 

1. A POWER OPERATED REGULATING MECHANISM FOR SELECTIVELY RAISING AND LOWERING A SLIDING VEHICLE WINDOW, COMPRISING, IN COMBINATION, A FLAT HOUSING SECURED TO THE VEHICLE SUBSTANTIALLY BELOW SAID WINDOD, A PLANAR PINION ROTATABLY MOUNTED IN SAID HOUSING, A FIRST AND A SECOND LENGTH OF SUBSTANTIALLY IDENTICAL THREADED FLEXIBLE CABLE MESHING WITH SAID PINION IN RESPECTIVE ANGULARLY SPACED POSITIONS BUT SUBSTANTIALLY WITHIN THE PLANE OF SAID PINION, MEANS FOR AXIALLY GUIDING SAID FIRST LENGTH OF CABLE THROUGH SAID HOUSING, MEANS FOR ROTATABLY MOUNTING SAID SECOND LENGTH OF CABLE AT ONE END PORTION WITHIN SAID HOUSING, MEANS FOR SECURING SAID FIRST LENGTH OF CABLE TO THE LOWER EDGE OF SAID WINDOW, TUBULAR GUIDE MEANS SECCURED TO SAID VEHICLE FOR GUIDING SAID FIRST LENGTH OF CABLE WITHIN SAID HOUSING AND ALSO BETWEEN THE LATTER AND SAID WINDOW ALONG A PATH SUBSTANTIALLY PARALLEL TO THE SLIDING PATH OF SAID 